One of Our Conquerors - World eBook Library

One of Our Conquerors
‘No, sir; I had nothing on my conscience.’
‘Why not have had your pugilistic display in a publican’s
room in town, where you could have hammer-nailed and
ding-donged to your heart’s content for as long as you liked!’
‘That would have been preferable, from the point of view
of safety from intrusion, I can admit-speaking humbly. But
one of the parties—I had a wish to gratify him—is a lover of
old English times and habits and our country scenes. He
wanted it to take place on green grass. We drove over
Hampstead in three carts and a gig, as a company of pleasure—as
it was. A very beautiful morning. There was a rest
at a public-house. Mr. Shaplow traces the misfortune to that.
Mr. Jarniman, I hear, thinks it what he calls a traitor in the
camp. I saw no sign; we were all merry and friendly.’
‘Jarniman?’ said Victor sharply. ‘Who is the Jarniman?’
‘Mr. Jarniman is, I am to understand from the acquaintance
introducing us—a Mr. Shaplow I met in the train from
Lakelands one day, and again at the corner of a street near
Drury Lane, a ham and beef shop kept by a Mrs. Jarniman,
a very stout lady, who does the chief carving in the shop, and
is the mother of Mr. Jarniman: he is in a confidential place,
highly trusted.’ Skepsey looked up from the hands he soaped:
‘He is a curious mixture; he has true enthusiasm for boxing,
he believes in ghosts. He mourns for the lost days of prizefighting,
he thinks that spectres are on the increase. He has a
very large appetite, depressed spirits. Mr. Shaplow informs
me he is a man of substance, in the service of a wealthy lady
in poor health, expecting a legacy and her appearance to him.
He has the look—Mr. Shaplow assures me he does not drink
to excess: he is a slow drinker.’
Victor straightened: ‘Bad way of health, you said?’
‘Mr. Jarniman spoke of his expectations, as being immediate:
he put it, that he expected her spirit to be out for him to
meet it any day—or night. He desires it. He says, she has
promised it—on oath, he says, and must feel that she must
do her duty to him before she goes, if she is to appear to him
with any countenance after. But he is anxious for her in any
case to show herself, and says, he should not have the heart
to reproach her. He has principles, a tear for suffering; he
likes to be made to cry. Mrs. Jarniman, his mother, he is not
married, is much the same so far, except ghosts; she will not
have them; except after strong tea, they come, she says, come
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